HAKUNA MATHATA BLOGGING

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Dihosana Dance, watching it you will think its in its pure orthodoxy form, much of its choreography and possibly style may have changed but the rhythm and sound emanating from this dance is beyond belief, have you ever been in a near trance state before, wala come here sometime in July, descend in the capital Gaborone and please attend the variants of cultures clash in dance, song and poetry. True African spirit in essence.When art lives and resonates.Cant wait.

I apologize for not making time to post lately, I have had a mind block, in part this is caused by having to be thinking so many ideas at a go and failing to execute them.I suppose you have been in a state where you want to challenge the status quo and you are stuck. Well today I feel better and so here is my post for the week and its going to be one of my longest post since blogging in 2008. My concentration of thinking has been focused on how the government of Botswana is trying to eradicate poverty following the Millineum Development initiative goals and indeed the vision 2016 goals, just this week, the President launched the poverty eradication campaign by calling on all Botswana who have mini businesses to a market where they can sell their products and services. I must say the starting point was fantastic, the market was full of handmade products that were rare and creatively engaging. What is standing is that despite Botswana high rate of economic economic growth over the past two decades, it is unlikely that the country will halve the proportion of people living on, to borrow from the UN poverty measurement phrase, less than a dollar per day by 2016.

These stories of hunger and starvation in the midst of plenty reminds me of my brother who is a consulting engineer who worked endlessly, with devotion and all dedication to this other company for several years, but was paid so little that he wondered why he ever went to school in the first place.He resigned in frustration and anger, only to get a job the next day, to his surprise, earning him more money than he ever imagined( atlaest in Southern Africa terms). By the same token, to which he told me the skewedness of wealth/income distribution.This boils down to the question of whether the government is effectively addressing poverty issues, please allow me to use Dwight R. Lee statements @ http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj5n1/cj5n1-2.pd for i find so much resonance in his argument, you will too. For which he argues, "But even if it is assumed that the market fails to generate a distribution of income that most people find satisfactory, does this justify government programs to promote a more acceptable income distribution? The answer depends crucially on whether or not there are reasons for believing that such government programs will improve matters. If, for example, government welfare programs impose a heavy burden on economic productivity, yet are incapable of changing the distribution of income in a more acceptable direction, then the “failure” of the market with regards to income distribution would provide no justification for government intervention in the market process.Can government welfare programs eradicate poverty and are they sustainable?

21st century solution: With the crop of new generation, get each child a laptop, teach them the basics of ethical, proper, professional internet social market networking and watch this silent, free upcoming booming trade solve some of these issues, not entirely but for sure a landmark of social difference is guaranteed.We shall talk about this new model atlaest in the context of Africa poverty, on how it can pay off. In this blog post I am choosing to promote this affiliate program Register.com, the one on your left side, Here are the benefits: When you promote Register.com you're helping small businesses and consumers get online by providing web hosting, custom and do it yourself website building services, professional email, ssl certificates and domain registration. I have just joined, click to join this affiliate.

Monday, March 21, 2011

As a citizen of the universe, I feel I have to chip in, in the current disturbing situations developing around the globe in particular, North Africa and the Middle East.America, Britain, France and other allies must know that just as the Middle East is denouncing its own leaders, they too shall face the same music.Crusades in the 21st century should not be tolerated.Where we are right now, no one is right, The headmaster Ghadaffi is wrong, America and its allies are wrong, Bahrain Khalifa is wrong, Yemen would be president Ali Abdulla Saley Ali is outrightwrong, Saudi Arabia is totally wrong, Iran is wrong so on and so forth.

Bombarding Libya is the worst of the worst intervention, just as the Saudis and their allies are doing in Bahrain and it cannot be tolerated.If the West truly believe they are protecting Libyans from their dictator Ghadaffi, they should also know that the Libyans are weary of their intervention.The arrogance of the West is misplaced, The United Nations Resolutions has called for no fly zone over Lybian territory as a way of protecting civilians, The Washington post reports that The Arab League secretary general, Mr Moussa, deplored the broad scope of the U.S.-European bombing campaign in Libya and said Sunday that he would call a league meeting to reconsider Arab approval of the Western military intervention.The Middle East Arab League does not tolerate the on going bombardment, The African Union has clearly called for a cease fire. Russia and China, Germany are not in, thanks folks.And so whose voices do they represent? Ghadaffi is a determined man, brought up under the shackles of Sharia law, groomed to think he is god, his stern belief in martyrdom principle is indicative of a war that may last for a while.Because of his hate for the West this man may use nukes.Iran has already proposed that as a solution.

That being said, the solution is all these long serving masters including Mugabe should step down now. Let the internal revolutions shape our dear democracy.America we know your trillion military power but as of now retreat from Libya with immediate effect.Is the West intervention in Libya a solution?

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Botswana is a country in denial, and once that is the case, we are heading for a disaster, a catastrophy indeed.Faced with challenges of extreme poverty especially in remote area dwellers, this country is busy trying to finding solutions to eradicate poverty.The paradox of it all is whether the rural dwellers especially those living along the fringes of wildlife parks, popularly known as Basarwa, Bushmen or San people are poor or living a culture or a combination of both.The tourists fascination of the San has also contributed to this state leaving the San to wonder whether to move on with development or to remain culturally frozen.The marginalization rippling effect metted against Basarwa for generations leaves Botswana in a predicament.Tantamount to that, denying the existing cultural differences in support one size fits all poverty strategy is going to hurt many communities in this country.Suggesting a backyard garden in the Kalahari as way of alleviating poverty is a big joke.Game farming will surely work. Hi dear tourists can you stop filming and photographing people like that. Africans never film and photograph your vulnerable people like that, thank you very much.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

When I drew my plan for the year, I didn't budget for death both timely and untimely and so next time include it as one of the items, that requires money.Death Be Not Proud.....My sister in law"s niece died of cancer 4 weeks ago , a week later, my sisters in law;s father passed on, it was still cancer. A week later., my closed cousin passed from heart attack, the same week my brother 's car had a tyre burst, two people died on the spot, one was my closest cousin, and our neighbor, in fact a stepmother to my cousin who died from heart attack.They had just come from her burial ceremony.You see attending funerals is part of social responsibility and obligation, sometimes for fear of people not coming to your funeral and so your presence matters. And so budget for death becomes a necessity.After all these, May their souls rest in peace.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The indeed historic upheavals that are currently sweeping across the north of Africa are a classic example of the spirit of martyrdom in its true spirit.The people of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have spoken and regardless of persecution and sufferings, they have unanimously chosen to topple down their would be leaders in defense of freedom of speech and liberty etc.I am hoping that this could translate down South especially in Zimbabwe and Swaziland and in the west in particular Ivory Coast, the question at this symposium is can Africans in these countries collectively topple these people, eg Mugabe, the old dude has been running that country for the past 30years and did I hear he is going to stand for elections yet again.Good lord.My little analysis is that the principles and philosophies of Islam could have had an effect in the revolutions or what do you think.Could Africans down south find a traditional unifying philosophy that could fight these political monsters disregard peoples voices?You see the Zulus in the 1800s were a formidable force on their home ground, despite the almost total lack of modern weaponry.So during their war with the Birish they used their numerical strength, with their shields versus guns, regiment after regiment would all move in a simultaneous fashion to kill the British in a column rather than in the usual fortified position.The Anglo Zulu War is simulated in many films and movies and its fascinating and so you can rent it even online.

Here at home the Kgotla system would be duly recommended. The philosophy of ubuntu, I am because we are has been expressed through the Kgotla system and through other means.The Kgotla as exemplefied in the above art forms is one of the forum where freedom of speech has been expressed throughtout Tswana kingdoms infact there is no village/settlement without a Kgotla.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Just to check certain things from my folks here, is this a man or woman, how old, where does she/he come from? is he/she married, is he/she sick, from which generation does he/she belong? This is art to its letter details, Art for Real, and please check Christian Ndudzo once you visit here.Only P170USD.Going, Going, Gone

An Italian man had with love bought some few masks and sculptures from a certain craft shop sometime ago.You should remember the sheer splendor and majesty of these fascinating masterpieces, and here in Southern Africa, Shonas have been credited with producing such.So the Italian took these pieces to his home mainly for decoration and appreciation.Reaching home, he carefully placed them on the shelves, some on the window sill, some on the lounge and dining room.Some were displayed in the bedroom as well.A week passed, another passed on, the following week the tourist started complaining how he constantly hear voices and how the pieces begin to change direction and position .To confirm his assertion, he narrated how he would take a particular mask, position it at a far distance, look at it intently and how the same mask will start to shift.The voices came in the middle of the night to a point where he had to take them back.The idea that masks speak is a long held tradition, that they are not merely portraits but that the sculptor:"s main aim is to provide the connection between the living and the supernatural.You Should see how some people literally speak and respect these objects.Do they?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The patterns and motifs at the mud-huts have always been intriguing .No wonder anthropologists and sociologists have always wanted to know about some of these decorative arts their meaning and function, While I agree that anthropology provides a framework for promoting understanding, acceptance and appreciation of the cultural diversity of our global community, there have been many times when I have always thought it creates a platform of creating cultural divisions to a point where others think there are better than others.Have you been taught your own culture by someone who is not within your own culture.Teaching you where you come from, what you eat and why eat it, your identity, physiology, biology, your chemistry, your origin.It is mind blowing.It could be positive but the thing about it is that how Africans have been studied, the results of such studies have been negative.So can you imagine sitting in an anthropology class and you are always told negative results about your culture? Am I just whining and groaning?

Blog Archive

About Me

Im a curator at Botswana National Museum.Currently involved in the programming, production of radio.My training is Visual Culture, this involves research with both text and visual and audio.I am also a teacher by profession.i love documenting on issues, things that are slowly dying out.

The dealings and chronicles of Mma Dimpho

good day, i am blogging and chronicling for Mma Dimpho, a woman who on a daily basis goes to the bus station, displays her medicine on a stall and start consulting her patients who never cease to visit.She comes from Mochudi, roughly 40 km away from Gaborone, Botswana capital.Mma Dimpho was born in 1957 in Mochudi.She has six children and is married.When she grew up, her mother foraged, gathered and collected medicinal plants from the bush.She learned the art of this trade as time went on.Later on, she was taught this craft by her own husband who was hell bent on traditional medicine.Mma Dimpho got consumed into this and in 1983, she set up a stall which is equivalent to a clinic.The plants leaves, branches, barks and roots displayed here are some of medicine species she continually prescribes to her patient.